MUSC 110: Listening Assignment 2 – Indonesian Gamelan

(20 points)

Directions:

This assignment can be handwritten or typed. Use extra paper if needed. Turn in a paper copy on the due date.

Section 1: Hearing the Gongan in Javanese Gamelan

In this listening exercise you will identify where the gongan begins and ends in a musical piece. Remember that a gongan is a metric cycle that is marked by the biggest (and lowest sounding) gong. Bubaran tells us that the gongan is 16 beats long. This will require you to find the beat, count, listen for the strike of the gong, and listen to the main melody called balungan.

1. Listen to the Javanese gamelan example “Bubaran ‘Kembang Pacar’ pelog pathet nem” which is 4 gongans long. Practice hearing the beginnings and ends of the gongan cycles and also pay attention to the time counter. Once you can identify the gongans, give me the time counter reading for any one gongan. This means you will have one counter reading for when it begins, and another for when it ends. (5 points)

open this file and listen to the music

2. Now listen to the first minute of the Javanese gamelan example “Bubaran ‘Udan Mas.’” Again practice hearing the beginnings and ends of the gongan cycles and also pay attention to the time counter. Once you can identify the gongans, give me the time counter reading for any one gongan. This means you will have one counter reading for when it begins, and another for when it ends. (5 points)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXp4WQBrCx8

Section 2: Listening to Balinese Gong Kebyar

Listen to the Gong Kebyar example “Tabuh ‘Sekar Jepun.’” Below I have marked out parts for the first 3 minutes of the piece. For each part, describe what is happening musically. Examples of things to describe are: what instruments are playing and their interaction with each other, tempo or rhythm changes, change in dynamics, repetition, etc. (10 points)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RKM2xj0qKc&feature=youtu.be

Part 1: 0:00 – 0:12

Part 2: 0:12 – 0:43

Part 3: 0:44 – 1:11